Geometer's Sketchpad
Key Curriculum Press
http://www.keypress.com
This component publishes sketches from Geometer's
Sketchpad within ESCOT. Geometer's Sketchpad is
a Dynamic Geometry exploration environment available
for Macintosh and PC computers from Key Curriculum
Press. Sketches maintain a set of geometric relationships
(e.g. parallel lines stay parallel) as the user
drags a point around; this allows students to
explore the range of shapes a particular geometric
construction can produce.
Within the ESCOT environment, sketches can publish
measurements (e.g. the area of a polygon) and
can be controlled by parameters (e.g. a slider
component could control the length of a line).
Moreover, sketches can publish "actions" such
as animating, hiding or showing parts of a figure,
or resetting the figure to a particular state.
These actions can then be triggered by other ESCOT
components, such as a button. Because of the tremendous
flexibility Sketchpad offers, ESCOT authors often
use it as a general purpose animation engine in
helping student visualize concepts geometrically,
even when the target concept may be primarily
related to another topic area, such as algebra,
measurement, number, or data analysis
Sample problems:
Pirates & Diamonds,
Llama, Search & Rescue Paths (year 2)
Example POWs:
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Pirates &
Diamonds I-IV
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The Problem: The pirate ship has
just landed, loaded with diamonds. Students
have been sent to buy some, but with limited
containers.
Where's the Math: Challenges students
to to use logical thinking skills and problem-solving
strategies
NCTM Standards: Geometry, measurement
Components: Sketchpad, HTML viewer,
text editor, action menu, number entry,button
panel, escot labels, javascript
Pirates & Diamonds
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Click on the links above to learn more about
the problem series, the math involved, sample
solutions, and developers' assessment
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Llama I-III
(click on image for larger view)
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The Problem: Students work to maximize
the area of a rectagular llama cage given
limited fencing.
Where's the Math: Challenges students
to estimate, hypothesize, experiment and
draw conclusions using measurement, geometry,
ratio/proportion.
NCTM Standards: Algebra, geometry,
measurement, data analysis and probability,
number and operations
Components: Sketchpad, HTML viewer,
number entry, button panel, text editor,
Logoscript
Llama
1 | 2
| 3
Click on the links above to learn more about
the problem series, the math involved, sample
solutions, and developers' assessment
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Search &
Rescue Paths (year 2)
(click on image for larger view)
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The Problem: Students fly a helicopter
to different locations by specifying headings
and distances.
Where's the Math: This problem
introduces the concept of vectors in an
interactive way.
NCTM Standards: Geometry, measurement
Components: Sketchpad, button panel, string view
Learn
more about the problem, the math
involved, sample solutions, and developers'
assessment
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For additional information about this or other
components, contact Mark
Chung, ESCOT Component Coordinator
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